Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rejected outright allegations by several European foreign ministers that Israel had targeted U.N. troops in Lebanon.
“The charge that Israel deliberately attacked UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] personnel is completely false. It’s exactly the opposite. Israel repeatedly asked UNIFIL to get out of harm’s way,” Netanyahu said in a video message.
His remarks followed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, in which they expressed “deep concern in the wake of recent attacks by [the Israel Defense Forces] on UNIFIL bases, which have left several peacekeepers injured.”
On Oct. 11, two UNIFIL troops in Lebanon were injured by Israeli fire, the organization said. A third was wounded in the same incident in Nakura but UNIFIL did not say who shot him. An IDF spokesperson confirmed that IDF soldiers were exchanging fire with terrorists in the area of the incident. Israel had asked UNIFIL to clear the area.
On October 13, UNIFIL said Israeli tanks had breached the perimeter of one of its bases. The IDF downplayed the incident, explaining that the tanks had backed up several meters into the base only to negotiate a tight corner. The U.N. Security Council on Oct. 14 held a meeting about incidents involving UNIFIL and expressed “strong concern” over them. The Security Council’s statement did not name Israel, Lebanon or Hezbollah, urging all parties “to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and U.N. premises.”
Separately, a commander of U.N. troops, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that U.N. forces remain in their positions in Lebanon despite calls from Israel for them to relocate amid escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, AFP reported.
“The decision was made that UNIFIL would currently stay in all its positions in spite of the calls that were made by the Israel Defense Forces to vacate the positions that are in the vicinity of the Blue Line,” he said.
Netanyahu said on Monday that Hezbollah “uses UNIFIL facilities and positions as cover while it attacks Israeli cities and communities. These attacks have claimed the lives of many Israelis.”
Israel, he added, “has every right to defend itself against Hezbollah and will continue to do so. We regret any harm done to UNIFIL personnel, and the IDF is doing its utmost to prevent such incidents.”
Following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, UNIFIL was tasked by Security Council Resolution 1701 to ensure there was no military presence other than itself and the Lebanese military south of the Litani River. In practice, the area was run by Hezbollah, whose terrorists built massive military bases right along Israel’s border, including tunnels under it.